Today is Chinese New Year, which is an oddly significant day for me. I spent 4 transformative years in China, and on this special occasion each year I look back and reflect on my time and relationship with Chinese culture.

China has a vast, long, and rich heritage, and it’s still widely misunderstood outside the Sino sphere. Chinese people might be shy at first, but once you interact with them, they become some of the nicest people I’ve ever met.

What’s more, Spring Festival as a holiday centers around family and food, and exemplifies the best of traditional Chinese values. To all my friends over in the motherland, have a wonderful festival. Here’s to the year of the Ox bringing us health and good fortune.